Abstract

Margate is one of England’s oldest seaside resorts but has suffered from a loss of tourism and parts of the town are now multiply deprived. It has a demographically skewed and mobile community,high numbers of children in care and economic migrants placing pressure on local services. There is little published around the privately rented housing sector in seaside towns and how conditions might beeffectively addressed despite a growing interest in other policy areas. This paper presents some findings from interviews with front line practitioners to capture their perceptions around challenges faced in supporting families living in privately rented housing in Margate.